The difference, in figures
Black metal is far heavier (+5), far less melodic (−5) and clearly faster (+4) than Southern rock. It emerged in 1982, 13 years after Southern rock in 1969. They sit on opposite branches of the tree and share no common ancestor.
Southern rock
Where it sits
Rock › Blues rock › Southern rock
In short
Blues rock with a Southern accent: two or three lead guitars, slide playing and songs as long as a Georgia highway.
How it sounds
- Two or three lead guitars playing harmony at once - the Allman Brothers signature.
- Slide guitar in open tuning with a Hammond organ underneath everything.
- Long songs that end in a jam, and lyrics about specific Southern places.
Key acts
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- The Allman Brothers Band
- ZZ Top
Start here
The pickThe Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East. The best live rock album there is.
Full page →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
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